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Advising FAQs

You can find your assigned advisor by here or by logging into MyUWand checking in Student Center.

If you need to talk to a different advisor, try the Find an Advisortool. If you’re not sure what kind of advising you need, you can also explore what different offices and services are available under the tab “Find an Advisor” at the top of this page.

There are many different ways to schedule an appointment, and it varies by school, college, and department. Before contacting an advisor or advising office, please check the scheduling information posted on their website. It may seem like a lot of information at first, but once you become familiar with the preferred method of your assigned advisor(s) and or/department, it won't be something you need to look into regularly.

The Find an Advisortool will provide you with all available options for the specific kind of advising you’re seeking and link you to the website of the advising office or department you're trying to contact. Remember, scheduling early is important, especially during the busy weeks before enrollment (November and April).

Your advisor can support your efforts to graduate in four years by helping you monitor your progress and come up with a strategic academic plan. They can also give you some good tips, and help you problem solve any obstacles you run into.

If you haven't already, talk to your advisor about your graduation timeline,and make sure you make an informed decision based on your finances, and academic and career goals.

If you haven’t declared a major or degree yet, you probably have an assigned advisor with Cross-College Advising Service. The advisors in this department are trained to help students with this exact question, and having conversations with your advisor about your goals and interests is a good place to get started, and a great way to connect to other helpful resources, such as:

The more prepared you are for your appointment, the more you’ll get out of it.

Make sure to schedule early, (drop-in advising should be used for quick questions only). Brainstorm your questions and concerns. Then, take a stab at answering some of them. Bring the right materials to your appointment, like your student ID, DARS report, transcript, or cover letter and resume if applicable.

In most cases, you are not required to see your advisor to enroll in classes, but we highly recommend it. Remember, advising is more than a check-in once a semester. It’s an opportunity for you to meet with your “academic coach,” someone you can bounce ideas off of, get referrals, and receive a professional perspective on your plans.

No, your advisor will not pick out your classes or enroll for you. However, they will offer suggestions, clarify questions, and help you double-check your schedule.

Your advisor is there to make sure you understand how to research your classes, read your DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) report, understand your requirements, know your options, and make effective decisions on your own. As a new student, this process may seem overwhelming at first, but your advisor is there to help you through it.

Chatting with your assigned advisor is always a good starting point, especially if you’ve met with them before and they have an idea of your goals, strengths, and interests. They can help you see how to account for a study abroad program in your graduation timeline.

Some schools and colleges have their own study abroad offices and offer information about study abroad programs that are directly related to certain areas of study; please contact their offices for more information.

IIP advisors assist undergraduates from all majors seeking internships/co-ops abroad or with an international focus in the U.S. They provide advising and resources to help you get started exploring international internship opportunities, applying for scholarships and getting course credit.